Iraq inquiry

The government fended off a Tory call for an immediate inquiry into the Iraq war by promising one "as soon as practical" after British combat troops withdraw on 31 July. The foreign secretary, David Miliband, said there were "important lessons to be learned" from the conflict, adding: "The time to focus on an official inquiry is when the troops come home to safety, not when they are still exposed to danger in Iraq." He appeared to indicate the inquiry would be held in private.

The Tories' motion that there was "no reasonable impediment" to announcing a privy council inquiry was rejected by 303 to 265, a government majority of 38, with 13 Labour rebels voting with Conservatives.

Paul Flynn (Lab, Newport West) silenced the Commons by reading out the names of all British service personnel killed in Iraq since the start of hostilities in March 2003. He said "the most insistent voices" calling for an inquiry came from the families of those who had been killed who wanted reassurance that their losses had not been in vain.

Flynn read out the names for almost seven minutes and at the end said: "May they rest in peace". The British military death toll in Iraq stands at 176.

Financial aid

The leader of the Commons, Harriet Harman, who was standing in for Gordon Brown, repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether the government agreed there was no room for another fiscal stimulus in next month's budget. The governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, had sparked controversy by suggesting the country could not afford a giveaway budget after pumping billions of pounds into the economy.

William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, challenged Harman three times on whether ministers agreed this was the case. But she declined to answer, insisting instead that the governor had agreed with the government's initial fiscal stimulus. She taunted the Conservatives over their inheritance tax proposals, saying they wanted to "squander" public money on just 3,000 of the "richest people in this country".

People would conclude that the government was now in "open disagreement with the Bank of England and no longer in control either of the public finances or the policies of this country", Hague said.

Troops' pay

The prime minister was accused of dithering over whether to award a pay rise to armed forces members. Philip Dunne (Con, Ludlow) said the pay review body submitted a report to Brown in January but serving troops were in the dark over whether their wages would rise next week. Harman said the government was "unswerving" in its support for the military.

Terror suspects

Harman insisted the government would deport terror suspects who posed a threat to national security. But she was unable to reveal how many dangerous individuals had been thrown out of the UK when pressed on the issue. Harman, who consulted briefly with the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, said: "We have excluded 150 and we are absolutely clear that we will take action to deport those who are a threat to national security."

NI killings

William McCrea of the Democratic Unionist party told Harman: "There is considerable anger in Northern Ireland today that a number of suspects being questioned in relation to the terrorist murders of two young soldiers in my constituency in South Antrim and also police officer Stephen Carroll have been released by order of the court today because of technicalities."

Harman said: "We want to make sure that those who have committed this atrocious crime are brought to justice."

Scottish and Welsh investment

Angus Robertson, the SNP's Westminster leader, attacked plans to cut public spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. He said that in the US Barack Obama's financial support package was being delivered at state level but in the UK the government was slashing funding for Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

Harman said: "We are not cutting investment in Scotland and Wales; far from it. But we are saying ... that at a time when public spending is tight we need to make sure that every single penny of public spending is wisely spent."

Men and Aids

The "true cause" of HIV/Aids is the "sexually promiscuous" behaviour of men in developing countries, Gary Streeter (Con, Devon South West) said. He added that, although access to treatments and condoms was important, public awareness was "absolutely vital". The junior international development minister, Ivan Lewis, said the way that men "see relationships" was a "major part of the problem".

Earned citizenship

The government was defeated over the implementation of plans for an "earned citizenship" scheme for foreigners seeking to become British. The Lords voted 171 to 110 during the borders, citizenship and immigration bill's report stage for an amendment moved by Tories' Lady Hanham. It would require that anyone who applied for limited leave to remain in Britain, for indefinite leave to remain or for British citizenship before the bill became law should be dealt with under present arrangements and not those in the legislation.

Support for business

Britain's businesses are caught in a "deadly pincer movement" that could see firms shut down and jobs lost as the recession deepens, Bob Neill, for the Tories, warned. He told MPs the government was imposing increased costs and regulation on businesses at the same time as it was failing to get credit flowing again.

The local government minister, John Healey, said there was a real difference between the government and the Tories over support for business. "The prime minister and the chancellor have made clear at each stage that we will take whatever action is needed to see us through the credit crunch," he said.

St Helena airport

Michael Foster, the junior international development minister, indicated it was not the right time to build an airport on a remote British overseas territory island. He said the effects of the economic downturn had to be taken into account before a decision could be taken on proposals for an airport on St Helena.

M25 costs

The government has spent more than £68m on consultants for M25 widening schemes since 1997, it was disclosed. The junior transport minister, Paul Clark, said a total of £68.2m had been spent, most of it in the last five years.